


Love Can Be Our Strength

by SakuraKage



Series: Tumblr fics [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Meet the Family, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Photographs, photo album
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:15:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24281164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraKage/pseuds/SakuraKage
Summary: No.Stop.It was his worst nightmare.Two of the most troublesome women in his life were here.  Together.  In the same room.  They haven’t even done anything yet, but knowing his luck, his world has about to implode.
Relationships: Nara Shikaku/Nara Yoshino, Nara Shikamaru/Temari
Series: Tumblr fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752775
Kudos: 13





	Love Can Be Our Strength

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ShikaTema Week 2019 under the prompt ‘Photo Album.'

_No_.

 _Stop_.

It was his worst nightmare. 

Two of the most troublesome women in his life were here. Together. In the same room. They haven’t even done anything yet, but knowing his luck, his world has about to implode. 

This isn’t the first time that Yoshino and Temari have met face to face. Over the course of Temari’s ambassadorial duties and Shikamaru’s guide duties, they had grown pretty close, and eventually, she had met his parents. Much to his surprise, they actually got along really well. 

But that was before they had started dating. 

All of Yoshino’s fussing and ‘gentle nudging’ (although, let’s be real, nothing about Yoshino was 'gentle’) had finally paid off. And Shikamaru feared her reaction. He had sat there, his stomach in his throat, waiting for the ticking bomb to go off. But nothing happened. They were getting along as well as they ever had. Better even. Yoshino had welcomed Temari into the family, practically calling her her daughter. As embarrassing as that was, Shikamaru had started to relax. 

He shouldn’t have. 

Yoshino pulled out the family photo album. Not the one with the pictures of young Yoshino and Shikaku, where Shikamaru would be embarrassed by his parents reminiscing and inevitable flirting. "Look at that, son. Your mom was a _babe_.“ "And what am I now?” "The sexiest wife who was ever troublesome.“ "Gag.”

No, she pulled out the more recent album. The one with the baby pictures of Shikamaru. 

_Kami help me._

“Aw, so cute,” Temari cooed over his pictures, hip to hip with Yoshino on the couch as she turned the pages. 

Shikamaru turned pleading eyes on his father, but he shook his head and turned the newspaper page. "You’re on your own, son.“

Shikamaru turned back to the women, heaviness settling in his stomach. He tried to melt into the chair but knew from experience that it was no use. "Oh, and here’s the bath pictures!” 

_Oh, great. Now, she’s going to see me naked._

He slouched even further into the chair, until he heard Temari’s voice turn unexpectedly hard. "Who’s this?“

"Oh, that’s Yamanaka Ino!” Yoshino answered. "I’m sure you’ve met her. She’s his teammate.“

Temari fixed hard green eyes on her boyfriend, but the words that slipped from her mouth were deceptively sweet. "Oh, yes, I have! I didn’t know they were that close.”

 _Shit_. 

* * *

“You never told me you and Ino were that close,” she hissed, sharp as a kunai. Maybe he was biased by the actual kunai that she held against his throat. “Explain.”

He gulped, mindful of the blade at his throat. Of course, he could disarm her. Of course, he could fight. But that would be too troublesome. "You know she’s my teammate.“

"She wasn’t back then!” she retorted. "And I get that your families were close or whatever-“

"I promise, Temari, nothing has happened between us-” he interrupted. 

“You two were naked together!” Temari pressed closer angrily. "How do I know-“

"Temari, don’t you trust me?” He interrupted, fed up with the jealous girlfriend bit. She knew how close he was to Ino, and she knew he didn’t feel that way for his teammate. So why was she blowing a fuse over some baby pictures that happened far before they were old enough to consent to anything?

She blinked, and her grip tightened on the kunai as she drew it away from his neck. "Yes,“ she admitted lowly. In a sudden burst of anger, she threw the kunai to the ground. "Yes, I do trust you.” 

“Then, why are you acting like this?” He fought the urge to feel the thin line of blood at his throat and focused instead on her. "The Temari I know wouldn’t do this. She knows better.“

"I know! I know!” She groaned loudly and plopped down onto a nearby bench. "I do know better. I’m acting like a jealous bitch and I can’t help it.“

He sat on the bench next to her with a loud sigh and started to wrap an arm around her like he had often in these past few weeks. But she gently pulled away, whispering, "I can’t.” 

Numbly, he watched her scoot to the far edge of the bench. She didn’t leave. But she didn’t look his way. Instead, she hugged her knees to her chest, staring silently at the ground. 

He finally found his voice. "What’s going on, Temari? What is this really about?“ He studied her carefully, wondering what had gotten into her. She seemed almost … morose, after the anger had left her. 

After long moments, she answered. "You’re close to Ino.” She said it like a statement, no accusation or jealousy in her voice. 

“Yes,” Shikamaru agreed cautiously. 

“Your whole family was close with Ino’s family. You were close to Choji and his family. Your own mother and father loved you dearly.” No emotion touched her voice, and she stared at the ground as if she were reading the words off the dust. 

Shikamaru waited through another long pause, but she had gone quiet again. "Temari,“ he started. 

"I didn’t have any of that.” She spoke suddenly, finally turning to face him. Finally showing emotion. "I’m not sad about that; I didn’t need anybody but my brothers and Baki-sensei.“ She trailed off again, thinking. "But I’m becoming close to you, now. And you- And I-” 

“You care too much about me?” he guessed succinctly. 

She threw him a mock-glare. "Don’t get ahead of yourself now.“

"It’s not just you, Temari,” he shook his head. "You think I’m not scared by how much I just _feel_ around you? You drive me crazy!“ He moved toward her on the bench, reaching out a hand toward her face. "But you also see me in a way nobody else has before. And that’s scary. You’re a weakness I’ve never had before,” he confessed, stroking her cheek. 

“I hate being weak,” she whispered into his hand. 

“Love doesn’t have to be weakness,” he murmured, allowing her to press a kiss to the palm of his hand. "Love can be our strength.“

After a moment, she nodded hesitantly. "Love can be our strength,” she repeated softly. Suddenly, she smirked, “Does that mean that you love me, Nara?”

_Oh, crap._

“A little fast to be throwing that word around, isn’t it?” she teased. 

“Oh, stop it, you troublesome woman.” He pressed forward and kissed her. 

When they finally parted, he was pleased to see that she was as flushed as he felt. No less sharp, though. "Who’d have thought you were such a romantic?“

He groaned, "Okay, okay. Can you go back to teasing me about being a crybaby, please.”

“With pleasure.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, so I guess this is my first attempt at like real fluff. Like, I am so here for the unrequited longing or even the requited love where they try really hard not show it. Can you tell ShikaTema is my OTP? But I started doing the jealousy bit, and it felt really off on Temari. Of course, then I realized, she’d be worried about something else - the depth of her feelings for Shikamaru. Of course, I had started the fic in his POV. And then, all the fluffy things came out of his mouth. I take no responsibility *holds up hands* Kishi made them their own characters. 
> 
> Thanks for supporting ShikaTema!  
> Hit me up on [tumblr](https://cherryblossomshadow.tumblr.com)!


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